Elementary: Enough Nemesis To Go Around
October 31, 2014 7:32 PM - Season 3, Episode 1 - Subscribe

After months overseas, Sherlock returns to New York, unexpected, unannounced, and with a surprise in tow. In his absence, Joan Watson has continued to work as a consulting detective for both private clients and the NYPD. Sherlock and Joan begin to work out the terms and boundaries of their revamped relationship while Joan, Gregson, Bell, and Sherlock struggle to close a case that has frustrated Joan and the police for months.
posted by soundguy99 (16 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
I'm happy to see this series back. If this season's arc is going to have to be about Holmes and Watson's relationship, then it's good that the conflict is about the betrayal of a friendship rather than some stupid romance.
posted by rdr at 8:13 PM on October 31, 2014 [1 favorite]


The AV Club review was great but I thought that the Gregson conversation was different, in that Gregson was genuinely hurt by Sherlock leaving because he had formed friendships with both Watson and Sherlock, and that he was putting on a tough front, one that Sherlock saw through and that Gregson knew Sherlock saw through.

I don't trust lizard-dude at all with the meet-cute, or Kitty.
posted by viggorlijah at 2:37 AM on November 1, 2014 [3 favorites]


I'm happy to see it back, too.
About ten minutes in I noticed myself not missing Sherlock, so the decision to start the season with just Joan was quite an eye-opener that way.
posted by dominik at 5:25 AM on November 1, 2014


I don't trust lizard-dude at all with the meet-cute

Me neither.

or Kitty.

Mmmmmm . . . . . I'm undecided on this one. We've already seen Sherlock be more openly impatient with her than he was with Joan. I'm anticipating a plot line where Kitty can't or won't live up to Sherlock's expectations and her predecessor's example. How this plays out is anyone's guess.
posted by soundguy99 at 9:11 AM on November 1, 2014


Given the character of Sherlock and his own self-awareness (He warned Joan that eventually she would cease to interest him) I suspect that eventually Sherlock will give up on her. Now, maybe Joan will take on Kitty herself afterwards, especially knowing what it is like to be discarded by Holmes. Maybe Sherlock will try working on his own again and discover that he actually wants/needs someone around. I don't....actually like Kitty so I would be ok with her being discarded and leaving the show and Joan using it as a lesson that Sherlock has some responsibility when he picks his proteges to ensure that he can live up to being a good teacher especially when dealing with someone far more vulnerable than she was when she encountered Sherlock.
posted by miss-lapin at 1:53 PM on November 1, 2014


I very much enjoyed the opening with Joan and no Sherlock, and shared her eye-rolls and exasperation that he turned up and started sticking his nose into things. Who needs him? We have Joan and Clyde.
posted by Squeak Attack at 7:08 PM on November 1, 2014 [1 favorite]


I’m holding out for a Clyde & Mrs. Hudson spin-off.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 8:47 PM on November 1, 2014 [3 favorites]


a lesson that Sherlock has some responsibility when he picks his proteges to ensure that he can live up to being a good teacher

Yeah, Sherlock's grand declaration that his True Purpose in Life is Mentoring seems a bit . . . . . well, the word "hubris" springs to mind.
posted by soundguy99 at 12:38 AM on November 2, 2014


The AV Club review was great but I thought that the Gregson conversation was different, in that Gregson was genuinely hurt by Sherlock leaving because he had formed friendships with both Watson and Sherlock, and that he was putting on a tough front, one that Sherlock saw through and that Gregson knew Sherlock saw through.
Gregson said their relationship is a means to an end as much to him as it is to Holmes. Perhaps the "much" is "not very". Gregson, like all the best TV detectives, is not as dumb as he pretends.
posted by fullerine at 6:03 PM on November 2, 2014


Someone finally acknowledges a comment I make and it's to dismiss me. I'm excited.

Watson had a different career until she met Holmes. Now that's not entirely due to Holmes as obviously they worked well together. And then he left and reappears with a new much more insecure protege. Whether he makes a "declaration" or not, he seems to now want an assistant/protege. Hubris doesn't seem to be right the word and even if it is whether he says it or not, the fact he is not going it alone but instead has what he considers a sub par assistant does indicate SOMETHING no?
posted by miss-lapin at 7:16 PM on November 2, 2014


Shit, sorry, I didn't intend for my comment to come across as sarcastic or dismissive - I actually think (if I'm reading you correctly) we're mostly in agreement.

Which is to say, I agree that Holmes will give up on Kitty. But the thing is, is that for all of Holmes' self-awareness, he's definitely got some blind spots, especially regarding how he interacts with other people. Plus Joan's decision to move into her own place at the end of last season clearly put him into a tailspin that he (now) admits that he didn't handle well at all.

So I think we (as viewers) are meant to see that Holmes started analyzing the history of his relationship with Watson while he was overseas, and somehow decided that his apparent success with teaching Joan how to be a detective was proof that his teaching methods would work for many people. Thus he decides to try to replicate his success, with Kitty as his new protege. Which he thinks will work because he's Sherlock Holmes and his mentoring process is therefore empirically correct.

But Joan is pretty clearly skeptical of this idea. I think she (and the viewers) are more aware than Holmes is that his success in mentoring Joan had a lot more to do with Joan being the right person at the right time in the right mental state. And his assumptions about his ability to mentor Kitty intersect with his own lack of self-awareness about how he treats people.

The hubris is Holmes', where he seems to believe he can play Henry Higgins to pretty much anybody, and means to prove it with Kitty. But I think it's going to fail, and I think Joan can see the possibility of it failing because of Holmes' lack of empathy. So yes, I think there will be a lesson learned that there's more to being a good teacher than Holmes thinks there is.
posted by soundguy99 at 7:02 AM on November 3, 2014 [3 favorites]


Ah yes it does seem like we are in agreement now that you have explained your position. I do hope one of his take aways is that he has a responsibility to be selective about his companions/proteges. I don't think it will fail because Holmes lacks empathy but because not everyone is smart, multifaceted, skilled, and patient enough to put up with Holmes' training process. Watson only did so initially because she was being paid to be his sobriety companion and Holmes began to use their time together in this way. Kitty, I suspect, sees this as a once in a lifetime chance. The intersection of people who could do this and people who are motivated to do this is likely to be slim given the Holmes system is pretty....well crazy and potentially traumatizing.
posted by miss-lapin at 1:24 PM on November 3, 2014 [1 favorite]


man can i just say im so glad they're still using zoe keatings music, even if just for a clip here or there.
posted by rebent at 12:37 PM on November 4, 2014 [1 favorite]


I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one to not miss Sherlock at all; Joan is awesome on her own and I would be quite happy to see a good chunk of episodes of Holmes Herself solving mysteries and being awesome.

My quick reaction to Kitty is that she's a plant from Moriarty.
posted by nubs at 3:58 PM on November 4, 2014 [2 favorites]


My quick reaction to Kitty is that she's a plant from Moriarty.

PLOT TWIST: Watson is Moriarty and has been this entire time.
posted by Fizz at 8:55 AM on November 7, 2014


PLOT TWIST: Watson is Moriarty and has been this entire time.

It would be impressive. To pull off going from looking like Natalie Dormer to Lucy Liu would be astounding.
posted by nubs at 10:34 AM on November 7, 2014


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